An appreciation. Slightly more than 30 years ago, I was fortunate enough to catch Keith Jarrett's so-called "American Quartet" at the Amazing Grace Coffee House in Evanston, Illinois. A small, somewhat idiosyncratic venue near north of Chicago, Amazing Grace was about as intimate a place as you could ask for to hear music. Small, somewhat boxy with seating on a mezzanine balcony in folding chairs and a main floor with come-as-you-are-but sit on the floor general admission, every spot in the house was close up to musicians. The quartet was an amazing ensemble, featuring Jarrett on piano, Dewey Redman on tenor saxophone (and occasionally musette), Charlie Haden on bass and Paul Motian on drums. The music was fresh, idiosyncratic, swung and had all kind of lyricism. Paul Motian passed away yesterday at the age of 80. If you don't know his playing, you should check it out. The YouTube videos below capture some of the magic of that band. This period, however, is just part of Motian's amazing legacy which stretches over decades and includes work with, among others, Coleman Hawkins, Thelonious Monk and Carla Bley. Perhaps he was best known for his work with Bill Evan's seminal groups in the 1960's. In all these settings, he was far more than a mere timekeeper and rhythm section player. In Jarrett's ensemble, and in his later career, his interplay was melodic, provided punctuation and occasionally disrupted what one might expect to hear. It was never boring and was always musical.
A piece on The New Yorker blog by Steve Futterman that's for more eloquent than I could be on the topic of Motian's playing and career: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2011/11/paul-motian-jazz-drummer-brilliant-troublemaker.html
Check out the music...
Some more recent playing, at the Village Vanguard with Joe Lovano & Bill Frisell, where Lorraine Gordon invited him hold court on a regular basis when Paul stopped touring due to health issues:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e5pmvYcYzY
Also at the Vanguard, playing Misterioso:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVKTLTSdtpM&feature=related
The Keith Jarrett Quartet live:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B1svDjB3kQ&feature=related
Three-fourths of the Quartet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaVxm8JyJcY&feature=related
Another, joined here by Guillermo Franco on percussion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLEgsmQ-dpI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8eMfc6TjoA&feature=related
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